MONTREAL (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Friday he hopes to conclude negotiations with the European Union in June on an unprecedented partnership that would make Canada the bloc’s first “associated member,” even though the designation was left out of a joint declaration launching a new economic and security alliance.
Carney said he would attend a meeting of EU leaders in June to conclude negotiations on the proposed relationship, which would not result in full EU membership.
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“At the same time, we are working to establish the deepest possible partnership, without going as far as membership, with Canada becoming the first associate member of the European Union,” Carney said.
The joint statement issued at the end of a two-day summit in Montreal made no mention of associate members. Instead, the leaders agreed to define an “ever closer association” by their next summit in 2027.
Carney said Canadian ministers and European commissioners would meet in March to advance negotiations before attending European Council meetings in June.
Carney, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa launched the “Alliance for the Future,” announcing progress on digital trade, European investment in Canadian critical minerals and artificial intelligence, as Canada and Europe seek greater economic independence.
The two sides concluded substantive negotiations on a digital trade agreement intended to facilitate business operations across the Atlantic and the transfer of data between Canada and Europe.
Canada and the European Investment Bank also concluded negotiations on a deal to encourage European investment in Canadian critical minerals, which are key to industries ranging from electric vehicles to defense.
Canada will also participate in a European supercomputing initiative that Carney says could significantly accelerate research. He said Europe’s JUPITER supercomputer could perform calculations in a day that would take Canada’s most powerful research computer six months.
Costa said the alliance would be the closest relationship the EU has ever established with a country outside the bloc, expanding cooperation on trade, research and security as US President Donald Trump’s trade war strains relations with traditional allies.
“Canada is by far the most European of the non-European countries,” Costa said.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said shared values mattered more than geography in determining which countries should work together.
“The position of countries on the map is not that important,” von der Leyen said. “What is important are the values that a country defends and its position in international relations.”
Carney said the alliance would strengthen the sovereignty of Canada and Europe and help them withstand economic shocks.
“It’s all about sovereignty. Our ability to live our lives the way we want to,” Carney said.
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Von der Leyen pushed for Canada to become the first “associate member” of the EU, despite resistance from some European governments to the designation.
“We want Canada to be as close a partner as possible to the European Union,” von der Leyen said. “We know that Canada cannot be a full member of the European Union, but maintaining as close a relationship as possible is our goal.”
Carney said the digital trade deal would make it easier for Canadian companies to sell products online in Europe. The two sides also concluded negotiations on a competition agreement intended to combat anti-competitive practices and reduce prices for consumers.
Canada and the EU will explore linking their instant payment systems to make cross-border money transfers faster and cheaper.
The broader Alliance for the Future could potentially include other like-minded countries, with Canada and the EU at its core.
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The leaders also agreed to study the feasibility of exporting Canadian liquefied natural gas to Europe and explore new submarine cables connecting Canada, Europe and Asia.
Canada and the EU will begin negotiations on expanding Canadian participation in Erasmus+, the European student exchange program, and explore ways to make it easier for young people to study and work across the Atlantic.
The two sides also agreed to a new border security agreement and pledged to cooperate more closely in defense, cybersecurity, Arctic security and countering foreign interference.
Trump suggested Canada’s proposed EU deal could be a “hostile act” and threatened to impose tariffs on Europe if he deemed it hostile. The United States accounted for 71.7 per cent of Canada’s merchandise exports in 2025, underscoring the challenge Carney faces as it seeks to double its exports to other countries over the next decade.
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